Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-07-15
AN INNOCENT DRUMMER.

He bade his wife fearful goodbye.
my love, my only love The time will
soon be here when / shall be in a position
TO snap my fingers at fate and set up as my
own boss. Then we shall have no more of
these cruel partings."
"And you will be true to me ~
"As l always am, he responded. "You
did not forget to put that photo you had
especially taken for me in my gripsack did
you Z"
'Oh dear, no. Are you sure you will
look at it sometimes, love I"
"You wicked doubter You know that
/ should be wretched without at least such
a resemblance of my pet to look at daily
and nightly
Draw veil of charity over his grief and
the treachery of one in whom he had such
unbounded confidence.
In brief, she, his only love, his pet, his
wife, had secretly planned to make him
"wretched" She had taken that photo
graph from his gripsack, and was gloating
over his misery when he should discover
that only memory remained for him for the
time being of his darling's looks
"The dear fellow, how he will scold me
for the trick, she thought "but l will
send him a photograph in the first letter |
write to him."
Thus appeasing her conscience she wait
ed for the first letter.
1t came from Chicago.
my hearts delight" it began. "Got
here o. X. this A. N. Have been wrestling
with the trade all day, and a tough time
I've had of it. Weary and tagged out |
have retired to my room, shut out the gild-
ed atmosphere of sin which envelopes this
terrible city, and taken from my bag your
10 ma xph I
write. l shall kiss it when l have said my
evening prayers 1t will rest under my
pillow. 1t is my one solace until l hold
you, my sweet wife, in these faithful arms
again.
Thus far had she read, then she toppled
over on the floor.
What comfort she found there it is hard
to say but great determination rose
with the stricken wife who went out an
hour later and sought telegraph office.
Her husband had been saying his prayers
abroad that evening, and when he got to
his hotel about midnight his spiritual emo
tions received rude shock by telegram
from his ''only love-"
1t was elaborate for despatch, but un-
der the circumstances one would not expect
an outraged wife to transmit her feelings
by slow mail. The despatch read
"YOu are no longer the only drummer
who is not a liar, as you always claimed.
Let the fraternity make you their chief in
the art. Had you taken the pains even TO
look for the photograph you say your pray
ers to, you would have discovered that /
had-to tease you-removed it. Ny faith
in you is dead !"
"Why, what did write to her anyway"
he muttered.
''By Jove l must have been piling on
the taffy. That's what a man gets for try
ing his best to make a woman feel good
Poor little dear, what fume she must be
in Lucky for me she gave herself away.
What geese women are Bless her little
noddle, her faith shall be resurrected :"
Forthwith he telegraphed to a knowing
friend;
Send me, first mail, photograph of my
wife. Beg, borrow, steal it, get it some
how. NUNS the word. Will write all par
ticulars soon"
About week later the drummer, in dig
nified martyrdom, stood face to face with
stern, but very wept-out wife.
She expected to see him meek and hum
BILE, but he gazed on her with great scorn
and then passed on to his room in crushing
silence.
She was amazed. With quick impulse
she followed, thanking heaven that he had
not locked her out.
"Well, she began with wavering cour-
age. What have you got to say for your
self now I"
Coldly, cruelty he looked at her.
81 I" he queried. woman, if it were
not for the over-mastering love | bear for
you, should never look upon you again I"
His face convulsed with tragic suffering
that was balm to her heart to witness but
she only sneered
Can you explain the deception you tried
| to practice on me I"
Can you obliterate the insult you put
upon your husband in that unwomanly des-
patch A woman with so little confidence
in her husband would be better off to live
| alone, For my part l am not only disgust
ed but disenchanted."
He turned sorrowfully away, and bowed
his face in his hands. She approached him
and laid the letter which had caused her
so much grief under his eyes.
''Read that. Knowing that you had no
| picture of mine what was / TO think ~
what any intelligent, right minded wife
would have thought you would have said
to yourself He is incapable of deceit he
has my picture, somehow"
"But you did not have it,"
He looked at her with sad, resigned sor-
row. His lips quivered, as he sadly muir
INJURED
ooh woman, without an atom of faith"
Then he put his hand in his pocket and
produced her photograph.
ooh, darling forgive me This old thing
taken long before we were engaged Why,
didn't know you ever had one of these !"
The restored confidence made her pretty
blue eyes swim in fearful joy. She put her
arms around him, asking his pardon, caress-
ing even his coat collar
my dear, said he, looking into her face
with grave, but loving reproach, "let this
be warning. Never doubt me again, no
matter what appearances may be. l can
always look you squarely in the eye and
say, l am innocent"